Draft gear



Sept. 19, 1950 w. c. DILG ETAL DRAFT GEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 17, 1947 ri e7 (y y 4.4/1 u r 2 W M M 23 J 7 /f n m a ATTORNEY5 A Sept. 19, 1950 w. c. DILG ETAL DRAFT GEAR 2 Shee'f,s sheet 2 Filed May 17' 1947 Patented Sept. 19,950

DRAFT GEAR Walter C. Dilg, Hewlett, and George R. Munro, Harbor Greene, N. Y., assignors to Waugh Equipment Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maine Application May 17, 1947, Serial No. 148,734

v(Cl. 213-46) 13 Claims. l

This invention relates todraft gears for use on vrailway rolling stock and is concerned more particularly with a novel draft gear of high capacity, which may be employed in a draft pocket., which is of about ordinary depth but is Somewhat shorter and wider than is usual. The new gear preferably includes rubber springs and iS so constructed that, under normal operating conditions, the development of free and uncontrolled slack between the coupler and vehicle body is prevented.

The draft gear of the invention in its preferred form comprises a plurality of pairs of cushioning units, each made up of alternate rubber spring and dividing plates. One pair of the units lies within the yoke attached to the coupler shank and the remote ends of the units engage the front and rear ends of the yoke, Other pairs of cushioning units lie 'outside the yoke at each side thereof and the remote ends of the units of each of these pairs normally engage front and rear stops. The cushioning units lof the several pairs are separated by a cross member which extends through the yoke and into the spaces between the stops on opposite sides of the yoke. The rubber spring plates used 'are metal plates with endless bands of rub-ber on opposite faces thereof and, by the use of the lgear construction described, it is possible to utilize plates, the rubber bands of which have approximately the circular form giving the best results.

When a force, for example, in buff, is applied to the coupler of a vehicle equipped with the new gear, the inward movement of the yoke is initially resisted by the front cushioning unit within the yoke and the two rear units outside the yoke. As the inward movement of the coupler continues, the cross member engages the rear stops, and, thereafter, no further compression of the units outside the yoke can occur, although further compressionA of the front unit within the yoke is possible. The units outside the yoke are of relatively low capacity, and, with the construction described, these units assist the larger units within the yoke during the initial part f the travel of the gear and are, thereafter, protected against being damaged.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made toy the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line E i of Fig. 4,-showing one form of the .new draft gear installed on a railway vehicle; and

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, are sectional views on the lines 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the new draft gear is shown installed on ya railway Vehicle, in which there is a draftpocket I0 vformed by means of a housing Il, which has 'opposed' vertical side walls vrI2, VI3

and a rear vertical wall I4. The shank I5 of the usual coupler extends into the front of the pocket and the rear end of the shank is pivotally connected at I6 to a yoke I'I of the vertical type, which lies within the pocket. The opposed lateral walls I2, I3 of the pocket have outwardly offset portions forming pocket extensions I8 closed 'at their outer ends and defined at their front and rear ends by portions of the walls, which form front and rear stops I9, 20, respectively.

A plurality of pairs of cushioning units are mounted within the pocket with one pair of units lying within the yoke and another pair in each of the pocket extensions. Each of the cushioning units within the yoke consists of a plurality of rubber spring plates 2| `arranged in alternation with dividing plates 22, and, in the construction shown, there are three spring plates and twoA dividing plates in each unit. Each spring plate consists of a metal plate of approximately square shape and having a plurality of concentric endless bands 23 applied to its opposite faces and held in place by sections of the rubber, which pass through openings in the plate and connect like rings on opposite faces thereof. The dividing plates are flat plates of metal of the desired size. Each cushioning unit also includes a follower 24, which has a flat inner face, engaged by the adjacent rubber spring plate, and an outer face curved to fit smoothly against the inner surface of the front or rear end of the yoke.

Each cushioning unit in a pocket extension comprises alternate rubber spring and dividing plates and each rubber spring plate comprises a sheet 25 of metal of generallyr oblong form, on opposite faces of which are mounted a pair of endless rubber rings 26 of generally oval form. The rubber rings 26 on each face of plate 25 are not concentric but lie in alignment and they are connected through the plate to like rings on the other face thereof. In the construction shown, each cushioning unit in a lpocket extension is made up of 'three rubber spring and two dividing plates and the unit also includes a follower 2l,

, which lies lat the outer end of the unit and normally engages one or the vother of the stops i9, 2B.

The cushioning units of the respective pairs are separated by a cross member 28, which extends through the yoke and has ends lying within the pocket extensions. The central section of the cross member lies between the cushioning units of the pair within the yoke and is engaged on its opposite faces by the rubber spring plates at :the ends of the units, The cross member is provided near its ends with cross bars 29, which extend from top to bottom of the member and are .provided at their youter ends with aligned projections 30 which extend toward one another and enter recesses 31| at opposite ends lof thev foll 3 what less than the distance between the opposed faces of front and rear stops I9, 2D.

At its ends, the cross member is provided with housing sections comprising top and bottom walls 32, which are of the length of the cross bars 29v and have outer faces lying flush with the top of the central section.

rlhe housing sections lie within the pocket extensions and the cushioning vided along their front and rear edges with doWnward proje-ctions 34, which enter recesses 35 in the followers 21.

The yoke is supported from beneath by a carrier bar 36, which extends across the bottom of the housing i I and is secured by bolts 3l to lateral flanges 38 projecting outwardly from the lower ends of the vertical walls I2, I3. rllhe bolts 3l also secure in place plates 39, which extend inwardly and support the housing sections at the ends of the cross member, and washers 4D between the anges and the supporting plates 39 properly space the parts. A wear plate ll may be secured, if desired, on the inner face of the lower longitudinal portion f the yoke in such position that the edges of the plates of the cushioning units and the lower face of the cross member travel along the wear plate in the operation of the gear.

In the normal condition of the gear described, the followers 2'! of the cushioning unit in the pocket extensions are in contact with the stops I9, and the top and bottom walls 32 of the housing sections of the cross member are spaced from the stops. Upon the application of a force, for example, in buff, to the coupler, the coupler shank and yoke travel inwardly. A compressing force is applied to the front cushioning unit lying within the yoke and the force is transmitted through the cross member to the cushioning units in the pocket extensions to the rear of the cross member. The inward travel of the coupler shank and yoke continues against the resistance of the r,"

three cushioning units mentioned, until the rear ends of the top and bottom walls 32 of the housing sections of the cross member strike the rear stops 2G. Thereafter, the cross member is prevented from moving rearwardly so that no further compression of the units in the pocket extensions takes place and further inward movement of the couplerT shank and yoke is resisted only by the front cushioning unit within the yoke.

The action of the draft gear in draft is the same as that above described, except that, during the initial outward travel of the coupler shank and yoke, the rear cushioning unit within the yoke and the front cushioning units in the pocket extensions are compressed. When the ends of the cross member engage the front stops, the further compression of the units in the pocket extensions is prevented and continued outward movement of the coupler shank and yoke is resisted only by the rear cushioning unit Within the yoke.

The pairs of cushioning units are preferably installed under effective compression such that, under normal train running conditions, the expansivity of one unit of a pair is equal to the 4 compressibility 0f the other. Accordingly, when the rear units, for example, in the pocket extensions are being compressed under normal operating conditions by the application of a force in buff to the coupler, the forward units in the extensions expand an equal amount and, accordingly, maintain their followers 21 against the front stops I9, so that both units have continuous contact with the stops. Similarly, under normal train running conditions, the follower of each unit Within the yoke is in continuous contact with the front or rear end of the yoke as the case maybe.

The installation of the units in the manner Idescribed insures that, under normal train running conditions, no free and uncontrolled slack will develop in the gear. Thus, if, after the application to the coupler of a force in buff, which has caused compression of the front unit within;`

the yoke and the rear units in the pocket extensions, the force in buff changes quickly to one in draft, the forward movement 0f the coupler shank and yoke will be resisted by the rear unit within the yoke and the front units within the pocket extensions. As the rear unit Within the yoke has expanded to maintain contact with the rear end of the yoke and the central section of the cross member and the front units in the pocket extensions have expanded to maintain contact with the divi-ding walls 33 and the front stops I9, these units begin to offer resistance to the forward movement of the coupler shank and yoke, as soon as that movement starts.

In the use of rubber springs of the type described, it is desirable that the endless rubber rings thereon have approximately a circular form, since, with that arrangement, the rings are less likely to be damaged, when subjected to severe compression. Also, little additional capacity is obtained by using springs, which are long in relation to their width and have rubber rings 'with rounded ends connected by straight sections. If the new gear included only a single pair of cushioning units with rubber springs, which extend across the pocket and into the pocket extensions, such springs would be likely to be damaged in use and would not provide any substantial additional capacity over rubber springs of a size that would fit wholly within the yoke. By using the cross member with the housing sections entering the pocket extensions and installing the additional spring units in the housing sections, the capacity provided by the units within the yoke is substantially increased, and rubber springs having rubber rings of the desired form may be employed. At the same time, the cushioning units in the pocket extensions are protected against damage by the engagement of the cross member with the stops after an initial travel of the gear. The new gear thus makes possible full utilization of the space within a draft pocket, which is of about the same depth but is somewhat shorter and wider than is usual.

We claim: K

1. A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops dening lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and separating the pocket extensions from the remainder ofthe pocket, cushioning units between opposite faces of the member and the front and rear ends of the yoke, cushioning units within the pocket extensions and between the opposite sides of the ends of the member and the stops, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops to limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively. applied to the coupler.

2. A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attachedl to the shank of the couplen'and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the Vyoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and separating thepocket extensions from the remainder of the pocket, cushioning units between opposite faces of the member and the front and rear ends of the yoke, each unit comprising alternate rubber spring and dividing plates, cushioning units within the pocket extensions and between the opposite sides of the ends of the member and the stops, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops tov limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to' the coupler.

3L A draft gear for use in a, railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and separating the pocket extensions from the remainder of the pocket, cushioning units between opposite faces of the member between the cross ibars and the front and rear ends of the yoke and also between the opposite sides of the ends of the member outside the cross bars and the stops, each unit comprising alternate rubber spring and spacer plates, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops toV limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to the coupler.

4; A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and separating the pocket extensions from the remainder of the pocket, a pair of like cushioning units within the yoke acting on opposite ends thereof and on oplosite faces of the member between the cross bars, pairs of like cushioning units within each pocket extension and outside the adjacent cross bar, the units of each pair acting on opposite sides of one end of the member and on the respective stops at opposite endsof the pocket extension, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops to limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to the coupler.

5. A draft gear for use in a, railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached .to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills ydefining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pook-- et extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and Separating the pocket extensions from the remainder of the pocket, a pair of like cushioning units within the yoke acting on opposite ends thereof and on opposite faces of the member between the cross bars,

pairs of like cushioning units within each pocket' extension, the units of each pair acting .on opposite sides of one end of the 'member outside the adjacent cross bar and on the respective lstops at opposite ends of the pocket extension, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops to limit .the movement of the member with the .yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, Vapplied to the coupler, the cushioning units within the yoke being under effective compression such that, under normal rtrain running conditions, Leachunit .maintains continuous contact with one endlof the yoke and one face of the cross member.

6. A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a, coupler, a yoke v.attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills ideningfa lpocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite fsides -o'f the yoke, which comprisesa cross member 'within the yoke having -ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the .respective -ends and separating the pocket extensions .from the remainder of the'pocket,va pair-of like cushioning units within the yoke acting -on `-opposite ends thereof and 'on opposite -faces of the member between the cross bars, pairs of -like cushioning units within eachpocket extension, the units of Ieach ypair acting on opposite sides of one end of the Jmemberoutside Vthe adjacent cross bar and Aon the respective stops at opposite ends of vthe pocket extension, and means on the member Iengageable alternately with the `front .and 'rear .stops to limit the movement 'of 'the mem-ber with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to the coupler, the cushioniing units within 'the yoke being under effective -compression such that, under vnormal train'run- :ning conditions, eachlunit maintains continuous contact with one face of the yoke and one -face Iof `the member, and the cushioning units in the jpo'cket extensions being under effective compres- .sion Vsuch "that, under normal .operating conditions, Ieach unit maintains Ycontinuous contact 'with aside vof one end of Vthemember. and'one of 'theistops 7. .A #draft 'gear :for 'use in a "railway vehicle having a'coupler, a'yoke 'attached Ato the `shank 'of the coupler, and spaced sills deninga pocket :into which the yoke extends,'the pocket having spaced front 'and'rear stops defining ylateral ,pock- -et extensions at opposite sides of the'yoke, which Acomprises across member within'theyoke 'having -ends within the Ipocket extensions 4and ycross Lbars :inward vfrom 'the respective ends and'lseparating the pocket extensions rfrom the remainder 'of :the

jpocket, cushioning .units between opposite faces `of theimember'sbetween-the cross Ibars and'the `front and rear ends of the yoke, each unit insite sides of the ends of the member outside the cross bars and the stops, each unit including a group of alternate spring and dividing plates and a follower between one end of the group and one of the stops, and means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops to limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to the coupler.

8. A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills dening a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a cross member within the yoke having ends within the pocket extensions and cross bars inward from the respective ends and separating the pocket extensions from the remainder of the pocket, cushioning units between opposite faces of the member between the cross bars and the front and rear ends of the yoke, each unit including a group of alternate spring and dividing plates and a follower between the group and the end of the yoke, cushioning units between opposite sides of the ends of the member outside the cross bars and the stops, each unit including a group of alternate spring and dividing plates and a follower between one end of the group and one of the stops, means on the member engageable alternately with the front and rear stops to limit the movement of the member with the yoke in response to forces in draft and buff, respectively, applied to the coupler, and means on the member engageable with the several followers and causing each follower to move with the member after an initial movement of the member away from the follower.

9. A draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, which comprises a pair of cushioning units Within the yoke respectively engaging the front and rear ends thereof, a pair of cushioning units in each pocket extension respectively engaging the stops at the ends of the pocket extension, and a cross member extending through the yoke and lying between and engaging the adjacent ends of the units of the pairs, the cross member having portions overlying the units in the pocket extensions and engageable with the stops alternately, a force applied to the coupler initially causing compression of one unit of the pair within the yoke and simultaneous compression of the other units of the pairs within the pocket extensions, the compression of said other units of the pairs within the pocket extensions being terminated upon the engagement of said portions of the cross member with the stops.

10. In a draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, the combination of a pair of cushioning units adapted to be mounted within the yoke in engagement 7 with the front and rear ends thereof, respectively,

a pair of cushioning units adapted to be mounted in each pocket extension `with the units of the pair engaging the front and rear stops, respec tively, and a crossv member lying between the cushioning units of the several pairs and having top and bottom portions overlying the units adapted to be mounted in the pocket extensions and cross bars separating the cushioning units of the rst pair from those of the other pairs.

11. In a draft gear for use in a railway vehicle having a coupler, a yoke attached to the shank of the coupler, and spaced sills defining a pocket into which the yoke extends, the pocket having spaced front and rear stops defining lateral pocket extensions at opposite sides of the yoke, the combination of a pair of cushioning units adapted to be mounted within the yoke in engagement with the front and rear ends thereof, respectively, a pair of cushioning units adapted to be mounted in each pocket extension with theunits of the pair engaging the front and rear stops, respectively, and a crossV member having a central section lying between and in engagement with adjacent ends of the cushioning units of the pair adapted to be mounted within the yoke, and housing sections at its ends, reach housing section having parallel top and bottom walls and a central vertical dividing wall connectingl the top and bottom walls, each housing section lying within a pocket extension with the cushioning units of the pair in said pocket extension lying between the top and bottom walls of the housing section and on opposite sides of the dividing wall.

12. A cross member for use in a draft gear, in which the member is mounted between pairs of cushioning units, the member having a central section adapted to be engaged by such units on its opposite faces, cross bars at each end of the central section, top and bottom walls projecting outwardly from the cross bars and, with the lat- -ter forming housing sections, a dividing Wall in each housing section aligned with the central section and connecting the top and bottom walls, and projections fromthe 4cross bars extending toward one another.

` 13. A cross member for use in a draft gear, in which the member is mounted between pairs of cushioning units, the member having a central section adapted to be engaged by such units on its opposite faces, cross bars at each end of the central section, top and bottom walls projecting outwardly from the cross-bars and, with the latter forming housing sections, a dividing wall in each housing section aligned with the central section and connecting the top and bottom walls, projections from the outer ends of the top and bottom Walls extending toward one another, and projections from the outer ends of the cross bars extending toward one another.

' WALTER C. DILG.

GEORGE R. MUNRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,495,042 Priebe May 20, 1924 1,562,889 Johns Nov. 24, 1925 1,958,490 A Mussey May 15, 1934 

